1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of and an apparatus for supplying a user with map information including a present position of the user.
2. Description of the Related Art
There is an on-vehicle type navigation apparatus as an apparatus for supplying the present position of the user and the map information around it in real time, for example.
However, the on-vehicle type navigation apparatus displays the map information around the present position of the self vehicle. Thus, in order to know what kind of area or what kind of facility will exist in the advancing direction of the self vehicle, it is required for the user to operate the navigation apparatus so as to display the map information in that direction. Namely, it is difficult or impossible for the user to easily know the area, the facility or the like in the advancing direction of the self vehicle.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a map displaying apparatus and a map displaying method, which can allow the user to easily know the place, the facility or the like existing in the currently advancing direction of the self vehicle.
The above object of the present invention can be achieved by a map displaying apparatus provided with: a memory device for storing map data including road data and name data; a map displaying device for displaying a map within a map display range by using the map data; a point determining device for determining one point or a plurality of points within the map display range; a searching device for extracting the name data related to the specified point or points by searching the map data stored in the memory device; and a name displaying device for displaying the extracted name data by superimposing the extracted name data on the map displayed by the map displaying device.
According to the map displaying apparatus of the present invention, the map displaying device displays the map within the map display range by using the map data stored in the memory device. Then, when one point on the displayed map is determined by the point determining device, the searching device searches the name data related to this determined point, and then the name displaying device displays the extracted name by superimposing it on the displayed map. Therefore, when the point is determined on the displayed map, the name related to the point can be displayed, so that the user can easily recognize the name of a facility, the name of a place or the like related to the point.
In one aspect of the map displaying apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus is further provided with a name specifying device for specifying one of the name data displayed by the name displaying device, wherein when one of the name data is specified by the name specifying device, the map displaying device displays the map around a point corresponding to the specified name.
According to this aspect, the user can speedily and easily watch the map around the point corresponding to the specified name.
In another aspect of the map displaying apparatus of the present invention, the apparatus is further provided with a present position detecting device for continuously detecting a present position of the map displaying apparatus, wherein the map displaying device displays a present position mark indicating the detected present position by superimposing the present position mark on the map, and automatically updates the present position mark.
According to this aspect, the user can grasp the present position on the displayed map.
In this aspect having the present position detecting device, the map display range may be determined on the basis of the detected present position.
By constituting in this manner, the user can always grasp the present position on the displayed map.
In this aspect having the present position detecting device, the point determining device may determine as the point the detection present position when the detected present position enters a predetermined peripheral portion of the map display range.
By constituting in this manner, the user can recognize the name of the facility or the place related to the point when the present position approaches a point corresponding to the peripheral portion of the displayed map.
Also in this aspect having the present position detecting device, the searching device may extract the name data included within a search range determined on the basis of the detected present position and an advancing direction of the detected present position.
By constituting in this manner, the user can easily recognize the name of the facility or place, which is located in the currently advancing direction, to thereby check the advancing direction.
In another aspect of the map displaying apparatus of the present invention, the point determining device is provided with a point specifying device through which an arbitrary point within the map display range and an arbitrary direction can be specified.
According to this aspect, it is possible to easily display the name of the point specified by the user.
In this aspect having the point specifying device, the searching device extracts the name data included in a search range determined on the basis of the point and the advancing direction specified through the point specifying device.
By constituting in this manner, the user can easily recognize the name of the facility or place, which the user may reach, as the user advances in a specific direction from a specific point.
In another aspect of the map displaying apparatus of the present invention, the map data comprises: node data indicating a point on the map; link data as the road data indicating a road on the map; and the name data indicating a name of a facility and a name of a place in correlation with the node data and the link data.
According to this aspect, it becomes possible to easily search and extract the name of the facility or place related to the point or place on the map.
The above object of the present invention can be also achieved by a map displaying method provided with: a map displaying process of displaying a map within a map display range by using map data stored in a memory device for storing the map data including road data and name data; a point determining process of determining one point or a plurality of points within the map display range; a searching process of extracting the name data related to the specified point or points by searching the map data stored in the memory device; and a name displaying process of displaying the extracted name data by superimposing the extracted name data on the map displayed by the map displaying process.
According to the map displaying method of the present invention, the map displaying process displays the map within the map display range by using the map data stored in the memory device. Then, when one point on the displayed map is determined by the point determining process, the searching process searches the name data related to this determined point, and then the name displaying process displays the extracted name by superimposing it on the displayed map. Therefore, when the point is determined on the displayed map, the name related to the point can be displayed, so that the user can easily recognize the name of a facility, the name of a place or the like related to the point.
In one aspect of the map displaying method of the present invention, the method is further provided with a name specifying process of specifying one of the name data displayed by the name displaying process, wherein when one of the name data is specified by the name specifying process, the map displaying process displays the map around a point corresponding to the specified name.
According to this aspect, the user can speedily and easily watch the map around the point corresponding to the specified name.
In another aspect of the map displaying method of the present invention, the method is further provided with a present position detecting process of continuously detecting a present position, wherein the map displaying process displays a present position mark indicating the detected present position by superimposing the present position mark on the map, and automatically updates the present position mark.
According to this aspect, the user can grasp the present position on the displayed map.
In this aspect having the present position detecting process, the map display range is determined on the basis of the detected present position.
By constituting in this manner, the user can always grasp the present position on the displayed map.
In this aspect having the present position detecting process, the point determining process determines as the point the detection present position when the detected present position enters a predetermined peripheral portion of the map display range.
By constituting in this manner, the user can recognize the name of the facility or the place related to the point when the present position approaches a point corresponding to the peripheral portion of the displayed map.
Also in this aspect having the present position detecting process, the searching process extracts the name data included within a search range determined on the basis of the detected present position and an advancing direction of the detected present position.
By constituting in this manner, the user can easily recognize the name of the facility or place, which is located in the currently advancing direction, to thereby check the advancing direction.
In another aspect of the map displaying method of the present invention, the point determining process is provided with a point specifying process through which an arbitrary point within the map display range and an arbitrary direction can be specified.
According to this aspect, it is possible to easily display the name of the point specified by the user.
In this aspect, the searching process may extract the name data included in a search range determined on the basis of the point and the advancing direction specified through the point specifying process.
By constituting in this manner, the user can easily recognize the name of the facility or place, which the user reach, as the user advances in a specific direction form a specific point.
In another aspect of the map displaying method of the present invention, the map data comprises: node data indicating a point on the map; link data as the road data indicating a road on the map; and the name data indicating a name of a facility and a name of a place in correlation with the node data and the link data.
According to this aspect, it becomes possible to easily search and extract the name of the facility or place related to the point or place on the map.
The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings briefly described below.